Fifth wheel construction



July 7, 1942. c. G. sEYFERTH 2,289,079

FIFTH WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Maroh 23, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 www - @M @aw/@W July 7, 1942 c. G. sEYFl-:RTH 2,289,079

' FIFTH WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed March 25, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FMT. '"r

,J2 12 ,es

23 7,/ za F] Q 2 fil lL l 16 55 l/ f 1| 2017 41?' 2l il LZ////U/ /7 10 3-- K .23( Z-P le 729 V A// i A m:- Jg l 26 17 Ji f 20 l/\ }27J L 15 ,el l0 21 glu/verdon gram@ @M July 7; 1942. c. G. sEYFERTH 2,289,079

FIFTH WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed March 25, 1940 s sheets-sheet s l ze# n 4&- i: il

' l \lz`l 1g-L Vm lol @www Patented July 7, 1942 FIFTH VJHEEL CONSTRUCTION Carl G. Seyferth, Muskegon, Mich., assigner to West Michigan Steel Foundry Co., Muskegon, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application March 23, 1940, Serial Nrn-325,499

(Ci. 23o-33.1)

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to fth wheel constructions and more particularly to yieldable fifth Wheel coupling means for trailers and tractors of the general type disclosed in my Patents Nos. 1,968,573 and.2,063,405, issued .uly 31, 1934, and December 8, 1936, respectively.

The primary objects of the instant invention are to provide a fifth wheel construction which is an improvement over Vthose shown in the above identified patents; to provide a fth wheel construction which is so constructed and so mounted that the major part of the interrelative movement between the bearing and cushioning members is inthe line of draft of the tractor, 'thereby eliminating undue torsional or other exing of the cushioning members and lending stability to the fth wheel structure; Yto provide a pair of oppositely disposed ellipsoidal bearing members having a maximum of freedom of movement relative to their respective cushioning members; to provide a pair of latierly spaced bearing members which `are independently movable relative to their cushioning members; and, to provide cooperable bearing members and cushioning members of such configuration that relative movement between each bearing member and its cushioning member is substantially uniformly resisted in any direction of interrelative movement.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a fifth wheel construction embodying the present invention, shown partially in section on line I-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure l and a sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a bearing member and of one of the cushioning members therefor;

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 illustrating a modified form of construction;

Figure 6 is a sectional view thereof on line tof Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a perspective View of a bearing member and one of the cushioning members of the modification shown in Figures 5 and 6.r

Referring then to the drawings wherein like parts of the structure are designated by the same numerals in the several views, the fifth wheel construction shown in Figures 1-4 inclusive comprises a pair of spaced brackets I@ which are adapted to be secured to the vframe of a truck, tractor or the like in any suitable manner.

inasmuch as the brackets Ii) are identical in construction, only one of the same has been illustrated. Each bracket I8 is provided with a pair of horizontally spaced upstanding webs I I which webs are provided with transversely aligned journal bearings I2 through whichrthe opposite ends of the shaft I3 project.

An ellipsoidal bearing kmember M is provided with a transverse bore I5 concentric with its minor axis and the shaft I3, intermediate its ends, is disposed within said bore I5 and secured therein by means of a set screw I threaded in the bearing member It and the shaft i3.

A pair of complementary cushioning members Il disposed within a housing I3 which is here shown as cast integrally 'with the plate member I9 surround the ellipsoidal bearing member I4 andthe projecting portions of the shaft I3. A bottom plate 2E is secured to the housing I3 as by means of bolts 2i passing through apertures in the bottom plate 2i] threaded in bosses -22 which are cast integrally with the sides 23 of the housing I8, said bottom plate 2t being thus removable for replacement of the cushioning members I7.

The opposite end portions of the shaft I3 pass through apertures 24 in the opposite sides 23 of the housing IS, said apertures 24 being of greater diameter than the shaft I3 to permit freedom of movement of the shaft I3 tlierein. A washer 25 is preferably interposed between each side 23 of the housing I8 and the journal bearing I2 adjacent thereto.

The complementary cushioning members I'I are preferably of molded rubber and are provided with voids 2S adjacent the ellipsoidal bearing member I which voids permit the flow of the rubber when the rubber is under pressure. Complementary semicylindri-cal notches 2l in the cushioning members I'I give access to the set screw I6 upon removal of the bottom plate 2G.

It will be seen that by virtue of the central disposition of the shaft I3 relative to the bearing member I4 and its cushioning members Il, interrelative movement between the bearing and their respective cushioning members is directly in the line of vehicle draft, there being no tilting movement of the bearing member Ill within its housing I8 except as may be effected by relative angular inclination of the towing and towed vehicles. Thus and by virtue of the ellipsoidal configuration of the bearing member I4 whose major axis extends forwardly-rearwardly of the fifth Wheel,

forward-rearward movement of the bearing member I4 within its housing I8 is substantially uniformly resisted and cushioned by the complementary cushioning members I 1.

It will be further seen that the above advantages obtain even in instances of sidewise Irelative angular inclination between the towing and the towed vehicles since the brackets I0 and their supported bearing members I4 are independently spacedly mounted on the towing vehicle.

In the modified embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 5-7 inclusive, hub bosses 28 are cast integrally with the ellipsoidal bearing member |41 and a transverse bore |51 extends through the bearing member |41 and its hub bosses 28 to accommodate the shaft |31 whose opposite ends are xedly secured, as by pins 29, in annular openings 30 in the upstanding webs |I1 of the bracket |01. The hub bosses 28 extend through diametrically larger openings 241 in the opposite sides 231 of the housing |81 and the extreme ends of said bosses 28 abut against the webs I |l adjacent the annular openings 3U therein thus centering the bearing member |41 between said webs II1.

It will thus be seen that the fifth wheel construction herein shown and described possesses novel features over the constructions disclosed in my prior patents above identified, that the present construction possesses the advantages of increased stability, increased life of the cushioning members, maximum universal oating movement of the bearing member within the cushioning members, and uniform resistance to interrelative movement between these members.

While but several specific embodiments of the invention have been herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the constructions shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A fth wheel construction comprising a bracket provided with transversely spaced webs. a housing depending between said webs Whose opposite sides are provided with aligned apertures, a transverse shaft of less diameter than that of said aligned apertures and having its opposite ends secured to said webs, an ellipsoidal bearing member pivotally mounted on the shaft within said housing and having its major axis extending forwardly-rearwardly of the fth wheel, bosses integrally formed on opposite sides of the ellipsoidal bearing member and embracing portions of the shaft interjacent said Webs, and cushioning means interposed between the ellipsoidal bearing member and its housing.

2. A fth wheel construction comprising a bracket provided with transversely spaced webs, a housing depending between said webs whose opposite sides are provided with aligned apertures, a transverse shaft of less diameter than that of said aligned apertures and having its opposite ends secured to said webs, an ellipsoidal bearing member pivotally mounted on the shaft within said housing and having its major axis extending forwardly-rearwardly of the fifth wheel, bosses integrally formed on opposite ends of said ellipsoidal bearing member and embracing portions of the shaft, said bosses passing through said aligned apertures interjacent said webs, and cushioning means interposed between the ellipsoidal bearing member and its housing.

3. An ellipsoidal bearing member having trunnions concentric with its minor axis adapted for pivotal disposition upon its trunnions Within a housing having cushioning means interposed between said member and its housing.

4. An ellipsoidal bearing member having trunnions concentric with its minor axis adapted for pivotal disposition upon its trunnions within a housing substantially centrally thereof and adjacent cushioning means interposed between said member and its housing.

CARL G. SEYFERTH. 

